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8.8 cm PaK 43
The PaK 43 was an anti-tank gun that was used by Germany during World War II. Description The PaK 43 was one of the most powerful anti-tank weapons ever fielded by Germany in any reasonable numbers. It could fire its 88 mm shell at a range of up to 15,300 meters, with an effective range of 4,000 meters. This meant that the PaK 43 could engage any Allied armored vehicles at ranges that far exceeded their capability to fight back. Penetration values for the standard PzGr 39 and 43 rounds was an astounding 165 mm at 1,000 meters and 193 mm at 1,000 meters when using the APCR PzGr 40 round.http://www.panzerworld.com/8-8-cm-pak-43-l-71 Because each round was travelling at such a high velocity, in practice, it had a 100% accuracy rate at up to 500 meters. The total weight of the weapon was around 3,650 kilograms while its total length was around 9.2 meters. While the barrel was somewhat of a problem for mobility, the rest of the platform was exceptionally mobile and allowed the PaK 43 to be carried around the battlefield quickly and effectively, unlike some of its heavy anti-tank gun counterparts. The gun itself could elevate from -8 to +40 degrees traverse a full 56 degrees in either direction and required a crew of at least six men in order to operate effectively. This allowed for a rate of fire of anywhere from six to ten rounds per minute.http://www.dday-overlord.com/eng/pak43_gun.htm Variants The first variant of the PaK 43, the PaK 43/41 was designed with simplification in mind, to hurry up production of the weapon. To achieve this, the PaK 43/41 used a split trail carriage type which inevitably proved clumsy and difficult to use in the harsh conditions of the Eastern Front. The other variant in the series was the KwK 43 tank gun mount made for such late-war German vehicles as the Panzer VI Tiger II and the SdKfz 184 Ferdinand. Some anti-tank gun configuration PaK 43s were also mounted on a cruciform type carriage, partially inspired by the FlaK 18 multi-role gun, which allowed a traverse of 360 degrees and low profile, but was expensive. History The PaK 43 was initially developed around 1942 following observations made about the use of the FlaK 18 as an anti-tank gun in North Africa. Firstly, the weapon's anti-air carriage gave it a particularly large profile and made it a target for ground troops and air attacks and secondly, the transport methods required were quite cumbersome. To correct this, Krupp decided to build a weapon that kept the low profile nature of other German anti-tank guns such as the PaK 38, and turn it into an 88 mm weapon that was effective as the FlaK 18. The result of this was the creation of the PaK 43 and it entered service with the Wehrmacht subsequently beginning in 1943. The weapon became a success, being one of the most effective anti-tank guns ever fielded by the Wehrmacht. While it was very heavy, the PaK 43 was still mobile and this greatly aided its use in such places as Normandy. All in all, some 2,100 examples of PaK 43 had been built during the war. References Category:German Artillery Category:Artillery Category:Anti-Tank Guns Category:German Anti-Tank Weapons Category:8.8cm PaK 43